Bomb



NOV. 12, 1946. C, B, FERREL 2,410,932

BOMB

Filed May 28, 1945 i i I /l/i//W/ INVENTOR. CLVE B, FEPPEL A faQ/vf v5 Patented Nov. 12, 1946 UNITED stares .TENT oFEicE tion of Nevada Application May 28, 1943, Serial No. 488,909

This invention relates to a bomb, and especially to means for detonating large bombs.

Present experience has proved that large bombs, that is, bombs that are loaded with an explosive charge of one thousand pounds up to severaltons and now known as block busters, do not always explode or detonate with 100% efliciency; that is, large bombs are usually detonated at the end of impact and as the body of explosive or detonating charge is so large, there is a tendency for the charge to burst into fragments which scatter outwardly over a large area with the result that only a portion of the charge is actually detonated. In other instances the larger bombs tend to bury themselves before detonation can take place with the result that even though the entire charge is detonated, the damage resulting is comparatively small as a crater is formed which directs the force of the explosive upwardly rather than laterally,

The object of the .present invention is to provide means for detonating a large bomb at a plurality of points throughout the body of the charge, and simultaneously, so as to insure instantaneous explosion of the entire charge; and further, to provide means for preventing burial of the bomb before detonation takes place.

The bomb is shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is an enlarged longitudinal section of the detonating rod-releasing mechanism; and

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a bomb, partially in section.

Referring to the drawing in detail, and particularly Fig, 2, A indicates the outer shell of a bomb, 2 the nose, 3 the tail, and 4 the explosive charge contained within the shell.

Secured in the nose and extending a suitable distance into the body of a shell is a tube which is closed at the inner end by an anvil block E. Disposed within the tube are a pair of spaced ball bearings 'I and 8, and journalled in said bearings is a second tube 9. A portion of the inner surface of this tube is threaded to form a nut, and extending into this tube is a rod II, a portion of which is externally threaded, as indicated at I2, to engage the nut. Rod I I functions as a detonating rod and extends in front of the nose of the bomb a distance of three or four feet or more. A cup I4 is secured to the outer end of the rod, and will serve a purpose hereinafter tobe described.

Tube 9, together with a nut I Il formed therein, is designed to rotate and feed rod I I inwardly while the bomb is in night. A multiblade propeller I5 is accordingly secured to the front end of the tube 9 to function in the usual manner, and as 1 Claim. (Cl.,102-2) tube 8 is rotated, rod II must be held against rotation if it is to be fed inwardly by the` nut, and this is accomplished by providing a spline I6 and a pin I1,

Formed in the anvil block 6 in direct alignmen with the detonating rod I I is a recess which isprovided for the reception of a primer I8 containing fulminate of mercury or the like, and disposed adjacent the primer is a ring pin I9 whichis secured to a disc 29 mounted within tube 5. Secured to the anvil block 6 are a plurality of rods 25. These rods are disposed within the shell of the bomb, but extend to different points within the shell. A11 rods terminate in a detonator such as indicated at 26 which is charged with fulminate of mercury. One rod, such as that indicated at 2, may serve several detonators, by extending through them as shown. This rod will have washers, such as shown at 28, secured thereto within each detonator, and so will the other rods as an impact yblow must be imparted to the iulminate of mercury contained in the detonators in order to detonate the same.

A bomb of this character will usually be carried in the bomb rack of a plane, but when so carried, the propeller will be tied or otherwise secured against revolving, and rod II will assume the position shown in Fig. 2, that is, with its innermost end spaced away from the firing pin I9\. When the bomb is ready for release, the propeller is unlocked, and when the bomb is actually released and sent on its way to a target, the blast of air will start rotating the propeller together with tube 9 and nut I0, and as it rotates, the rod II will move inwardly, and when the end of the threaded portion I2 is reached, the inner end of rod II will be in direct contact with the disc or washer 20. The propeller will, of course, continue rotating until the target is struck, but such rotation will be free as the rod has reached detonating position. When a target is struck by the cup-shaped member I4, the rod will be forced further inwardly, and will bend or free the disc 2E) and strike the firing pin I9 with such force as to detonate the fulminate of mercury contained in the primer. The wave of detonation thus set up is imparted to the anvil block and is, in turn, imparted. through the several rods 25, 21 to the detonators 2S placed throughout the body of the exploding charge. Thus, when the target is struck, all of the detonators indicated at 26 will detonate simultaneously and set off the explosive charge at a plurality of points throughout the body of the bomb, thus insuring simultaneous and instantaneous explosion of the entire charge.

The cup I4 may have perforations formed in it as indicated at I4a to permit air to pass freely through when the bomb is in ight, but when a target is struck, it immediately forms a footing which drives the detonating rod inwardly against the ring pin. For instance, the bomb might strike soft ground or water, and in that instance the rod might penetrate a considerable distance before imparting a sucient blow to the primer to detonate, -but by providing the cup here shown, the impact is immediate and instantaneous, hence detonation is sure to take place whether striking soft earth or water, and the detonation will take place before the bomb has a chance to bury itself. Thus the force of the explosion will not only be upwardly and downwardly, buit also laterally in all directions and full eciency of the explosive charge is obtained. The explosive employed may be a burning type or a detonating type. For instance, the bomb may be filled with T. N. T. or any other similar material, and detonation of such material is certainly assured by the detonating arrangement here disclosed. The mechanism for releasing the detonating rod Il is not new, per se, but nevertheless forms a part of the ring or detonating mechanism.

The real novelty in this application is the method of detonating a large body of explosive, not only that, but of detonating it at a plurality of points throughout the body of the explosive so as to insure instantaneous explosion or detonation of the entire charge.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A bomb comprising an elongated body portion having a nose at one end and a tail portion at the other, an explosive charge filling the body portion, a primary detonator in the nose of the bomb and red by impact with a target, a plurality of secondary detonators disposed at diierent points throughout the body of the explosive charge, a housing enclosing the primary 'detonator, said housing having suiicient strength to remain intact during firing of the primary detonator, and a plurality of rigid non-movable rods extending from said housing to the respective secondary detonators, whereby an impact detonating wave is transmitted through the housing and the rods to the respective secondary detonators to detonate the same when the primer detonator is red.

CLYDE B. FERREL. 

